Loans will be of benefit - Clough

The Gaffer has revealed ahead of Saturday's clash with Gillingham that he hopes to get a couple more of his younger squad members some first-team football away from Bramall Lane to further their development.

With Elliott Whitehouse and Aaron Barry currently plying their trades with York City and Dumbarton respectively, Clough feels there comes a stage where a young player needs the exposure to all the elements associated with first-team action, hence Ironside's temporary switch to The Shay.

He remarked: "It is always good to get a young player the experience of going out on-loan and playing regularly in the Conference will only be of benefit to Joe.

"He needs to be playing with the pressures and expectations that come from the terraces and there is no better place than the Conference for a youngster like Joe to enhance his progression.

"We have loaned him to Halifax until January initially but if he is enjoying it and doing well then we can see what the next move is then.

"As a coaching staff we certainly feel it is the right thing to do to get your youngsters out playing first-team and we will look at getting another couple out to good clubs in the weeks ahead."